Life science company ValiRx, Plc has been granted a patent approval in the United Kingdom for its lead therapy candidate for the treatment of endometriosis or hormone induced abnormal cell growth in women, called VAL201. The patent was awarded by the UK Patent Office and enables ValiRx, which is dedicated to developing novel cancer diagnosis and personalized therapy methods, to advance in the development of the treatment.
The UK Patent Office granted ValiRx a patent entitled “Inhibitors of the interaction between a src family kinase and an androgen receptor of estradiol receptor for the treatment of endometriosis,” to protect it for the indication. The decision was based on the successful results recently presented by ValiRx regarding the first clinical trial on VAL201 in endometrial models. The investigation demonstrated the therapy’s ability to decrease abnormal endometrial growth without affecting other hormone-induced activities.
“The granting of this latest patent not only further extends our global geographic patent coverage, but it also complements our announcement earlier this week on the successful first results from our lead compound, VAL201 in its Phase I/II clinical trial,” stated the CEO of ValiRx, Satu Vainikka, in a company announcement.
The patent was awarded to ValiRx just after the company received a NAV3 Biomarker European patent grant for VAL201, and the therapy is now protected with patents in several countries worldwide, including the UK, Japan, Europe and Australia. VAL201 is expected to reduce the burden of patients who suffer from the gynecological medical condition, which causes the uterus lining’s cells, called endometrium, to appear in other places other than the uterine cavity, mostly in the ovaries.
“The market for treatments against endometriosis and hormone induced tumor growth is substantial and with significant unmet clinical need and I am seeing from a number of quarters increasing interest in endometriosis therapeutics,” added Vainikka. “I believe new methods of treatment are increasingly being accepted for the benefit of all parties and the granting of this latest patent assists in this”.
The market for endometriosis treatments is expected to reach $1.3 billion worldwide by 2017, since the disease affects about 170 million women in the world and it is still a very common condition. Endometriosis, which is influenced by hormonal alterations, worsens the symptoms associated to the menstrual cycle and can be debilitating and even cause infertility.